Recruiting

Observational StudyNoninvasive Pre-surgical Evaluation of Patients With Focal Epilepsy and Establishment of a Normative Imaging Database

Sponsor:

National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)

Code:

NCT02107989

Conditions

Epilepsy

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 8 - 70+

Healthy Volunteers: Accepted

Interventions

MRI

MEG

Study Details

Brief summary:

Objectives:

The overall study objective is to compare the sensitivities and specificities of morphometric analysis techniques using structural MRI images based on pre- and postsurgical localization of epileptic foci in patients undergoing presurgical evaluation for medically refractory epilepsy. To carry out these analyses, we aim to establish an age-stratified normative imaging database using healthy volunteers. Additional objectives are to identify abnormal networks in these patients using resting state fMRI/EEG and MEG/EEG, and to use language and memory fMRI tasks to examine the effects of epileptogenic zones and surgery on cognitive function and the networks associated with these functions.

Study population:

300 adults and children (age 8 and older) with uncontrolled focal epilepsy, and 200 age-stratified healthy volunteers.

Design: A retrospective and prospective natural history study. Research procedures for patients in this study include neuropsychological testing and 1-4 MRI sessions during presurgical evaluation and an additional 1-3 MRI sessions and neuropsychological testing approximately 12 months post-operatively. Research testing (such as research neuropsychological tests or MRI scanning sequences) will be done during a visit for clinical testing whenever possible, likely reducing the number of required visits. Patients will also have optional MEG and 7T structural imaging. Data will also be obtained from patients who have already undergone epilepsy surgery if they had procedures as outlined in the protocol and are willing to share the data. Healthy volunteers will receive a subset of the pre-operative procedures for patients, requiring at least 3 visits. In order to ensure adequate data acquisition, subjects may be re-scanned up to three times for the portions of the study in which they participated, possibly requiring additional visits.

Outcome measures:

The main outcomes will be establishment of normative values for morphometric analysis methods in age-stratified normal controls, and comparison of the sensitivity and specificity of these measures to pre- and postsurgical localization of the epileptogenic zone. Secondary outcome measures will include determination of the sensitivity and specificity of source localization using MEG/EEG and resting state fMRI/EEG, and to evaluate changes in activation during rest, as well as language and memory fMRI tasks in patients pre- and postsurgically, to examine the effects of epileptogenic zones and surgery on cognitive function and the networks underlying these functions.

Conditions

Epilepsy

Study ID

NCT02107989

Start date

Mar 11, 2014

Status verified date

Aug 7, 2026

Completion date

Mar 30, 2028

Anticipated

Primary completion date

Mar 30, 2028

Anticipated

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 8 - 70+

Healthy Volunteers: Accepted

INCLUSION CRITERIA FOR PATIENTS:
Age 8 and older
Evaluated or under evaluation for epilepsy surgery under protocol 18-N-0066,11-N-0051 or 16-N-0041
Documentation of focal epilepsy based on MRI, EEG and/or ictal semiology
Ability to give informed consent, have or be able to assign a legally authorized representative able to give consent (for adults without consent capacity), or parent/guardian able to provide informed consent (for a child).

INCLUSION CRITERIA FOR PATIENTS SOLELY CONTRIBUTING DATA:

Had epilepsy surgery with presurgical evaluation under 18-N-0066
Age 8 and up at the time of epilepsy surgery evaluation
Had a preoperative structural brain MRI of the type used in this protocol

INCLUSION CRITERIA FOR HEALTHY VOLUNTEERS:

Age 8 and older
Ability to give informed consent or have a parent/guardian able to provide informed consent if a child.
Ability to cooperate with MRI scanning without anesthesia

EXCLUSION CRITERIA FOR PATIENTS:

Contraindications to MRI or MEG studies (such as pacemakers, cochlear implants, shrapnel, permanent eyeliner)
Claustrophobia or anxiety disorders exacerbated by the MRI scanner
Pregnancy. All females of childbearing potential must have a negative pregnancy test prior to MRI scanning

EXCLUSION CRITERIA FOR PATIENTS SOLELY CONTRIBUTING DATA:

-Not able or willing to give consent or do not have an appropriate surrogate who can provide consent

EXCLUSION CRITERIA FOR HEALTHY VOLUNTEERS:

Contraindications to MRI or MEG studies (such as pacemakers, cochlear implants, shrapnel, permanent eyeliner)
Claustrophobia or anxiety disorders exacerbated by the MRI scanner
Significant medical conditions that may affect the central nervous system, such as psychiatric disorders (such as mood disorders, psychotic disorders, substance abuse or dependence), significant neurologic disorders (such as brain injury, neurodegenerative disorders, multiple sclerosis, stroke, movement disorders, epilepsy), or active systemic disease that may affect the central nervous system (such as uncontrolled hypertension, autoimmune disorders or other inflammatory disorders, neoplastic disease)
Use of centrally acting medications in the past 6 weeks, such as benzodiazepines, barbiturates, antidepressants, beta-blockers, and drugs for treating epilepsy or migraine
Pregnancy. All females of childbearing potential must have a negative pregnancy test prior to MRI scanning

Study Design

Enrollment

700 participants

Anticipated

Interventions and Outcome Measures

Arms

healthy volunteers

Patients

Interventions

MRI

MRI of the brain is routinely used to identify abnormal areas of cortex in patients with medically refractory epilepsy. MRI evaluations of brain may be performed at field strengths of 1.5T, 3T, and/or 7T, under conditions designated by the FDA as constituting nonsignificant risk.

MEG

MEG/EEG: Magnetoencephalography (MEG) is commonly used during epilepsy pre-surgical evaluations to help with localizing epileptic foci. MEG will be obtained as clinically indicated, usually in patients with unclear seizure focus localization who are undergoing presurgical evaluation, particularly when they have frequent interictal discharges on EEG. MEG records very small magnetic fields generated by the brain at rest, or in response to a task or to epileptic activity. Resting state MEG/EEG analysis will be used for research purposes only.

Primary outcome measure

All outcomes in this study are Exploratory. [ Time Frame: All outcomes in this study are Exploratory. ]

Central Contacts and Locations

Central contacts

Aaliyah M HamidullahThiam

(301) 402-7686 aaliyah.hamidullahthiam@nih.gov

Sara K Inati, M.D.

(301) 435-6269 inatisk@mail.nih.gov

Locations

National Institutes of Health Clinical Center

Recruiting

Bethesda, Maryland, United States, 20892

More Information

Sponsor

National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)

Last update posted

Sep 8, 2026

Last verified

Aug 7, 2026

Keywords

Epilepsy
MRI
fMRI
MEG
Natural History

Trial information was received from ClinicalTrials.gov and was last updated on 2026-09-10. This information was provided to ClinicalTrials.gov by National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) on 2026-09-08.